As you noticed on the White Pine Bonsai discussion, I recently purchased my first JWP. The season is coming to an end and we are entering the growing season of spring. I never had an experience with JWPs so I need the forum's advice on fertilizer; therefore, I would like to know what you guys think would be the best fertilizer?

Folks can make the fertilizer issue simple or complicated. Brent Walston and Walter Pall use a regular chemical fertilizer, but it should contain micronutrients, the metals and minerals listed on the box.

On the other hand some people use organic feed, combination of several, combo of organic and chemical, organic with no animal waste, kelp and fish fertilizers, fertilizer in combo with humates, mycorazzae innoculations, a shot of micronutrients (w/o) fert., granules/cakes/balls/teabags and others I'm sure. Everyone can make a good argument for their approach.

I keep it simple, mir-acid for pines and a bit of plant tone (Espoma), which is inexpensive and readily avail. Here's a little something I learned recently in a seminar by Julian Adams. He recommends a dose of micronutrients (this product is not fertilizer) 1X year for white pines (which he grows and propagates). He stated it was important, especially for Zuisho JWP. (BTW, Julian Adams is also one of the excellent sellers and a good guy.)

I've read that people use inorganics w/o animal waste for highly refined trees and that it promotes a fine growth.

Personally, I think it's all good just prefer to keep it simple and inexpensive. Also, I don't have any masterpieces. I like your JWP.

I have an update to this post as a result of info from a recent Pine seminar. Seminar was conducted by a very knowledgable pine grower and bonsai artist that many of you may know. This guy really has the trees, knowledge and experience.

The person uses home made fertilizer made from bone meal, cottonseed meal, fish meal and kelp. (I think I'm close on this.) Learned that kelp contains humates. The fert is scooped on the soil with an ice cream type scooper. It is used quite heavily, starts the season with 2 scoops then uses more over time until soil surface is almost covered.

Results are excellent and I am going to use this approach. Doesn't seem too complicated or costly. Remember that organic fert will sometimes attract animals and that can be countered with hot pepper extract. (I assume one should find a solution without salt?)

Sounds similar to what we use, this year after burning through 6 tins of Aoki fertilizer, I added 10% granular humate. I am following advice received from Al Keppler. My under standing of the impact of humates on soil quality is that the results will be time dependent, yhat is you will see increasing benefits over time, from year to year. We will see.

I'm adding a locally produced granular humate / mycorrhizae / micronutrient blend to my fertilizer cakes. Time will tell for my trees too as only one year into it. The Green Industry research on humates is really promising and Al piqued my interest about the matter too. Thanks Al.

I used a micronutrient powder in the spring called "Micromax" which was recommended by and purchased from Julian Adams. Julian said the use of micronutrient supplement is esp. important for white pines and absolutely necessary for the JWP Zuisho cultivar. It's used 1X per year and I used it on everything, conifers as well as deciduous.